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Pitts Theology Library
The Howard Thurman Digital Archive
Transcription
thurman.pitts.emory.edu
394-811.mp3
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Pitts Theology Library
Emory University
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, oh, lord,
my strength and my redeemer.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
This is my final broadcast until next September. I wish to express my personal appreciation to all
of you who have taken the time to write letters or postal cards, or make telephone calls
expressing appreciation for the weekly broadcasts. I wish for each of you a full, and restful, and
creative summer.
Because tomorrow is Memorial Day, I have chosen to read several poems having to do with
some aspect of this particular celebration. As the overall phrase covering what I shall read, I'm
using two lines from Hermann Hagedorn's poem about the unknown soldier.
And these lines are, we died, but you who live must do a harder thing than dying is. For you
must think, and ghosts shall drive you on. The first thing that I'm reading is from John
Drinkwater's "Abraham Lincoln", and Lincoln is speaking. I beg you not to harass yourself,
ma'am. I too believe war to be wrong. It's the weakness, and the jealousy, and folly of men that
make a thing so wrong possible.
But we are all weak, and jealous, and foolish. That's how the world is and we cannot outstrip the
world. Some of the worst of us are sullen, aggressive, but clumsy and greedy pirates. Some of us
have grown out of that, but the best of us have an instinct to resist aggression if it won't listen to
persuasion. You may say it's a wrong instinct. I don't know. But it's there, and it's there in
millions of good men.
I don't believe it's the wrong instinct I believe that the world must come to wisdom slowly. It is
for us who hate aggression to persuade men always against it and hope that, little by little, they
will hear us. But in the meantime, there will come moments when the aggressors will force the
instinct to resistance to act. Then we must act earnestly, praying always in our courage that never
again will this thing happen.
And then we must turn again and again to persuasion. This appeal to force is the misdeed of an
imperfect world. But we are imperfect. We must strive to purify the world, but we must not think
ourselves pure, above the world. And the next that I shall read is from the Arizona poet of the
desert, Badger Clark. This is about the Civil War.
My father prayed as he drew a bead on the gray coats. Back in those blazing years when the
house was divided. Bless his old heart. There never was truer or kinder, yet he prayed while
hoping the ball from his clumsy old musket might thud to the body of some hot eyed young
southerner and tumble him limp in the mud of the Vicksburg trenches.
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�Pitts Theology Library
The Howard Thurman Digital Archive
Transcription
thurman.pitts.emory.edu
That was my father, serving the Lord and his country, praying and shooting whole heartedly,
never a doubt. But now, what about me in my own day of battle? Could I put my prayers behind
a slim Springfield bullet? Hardly, except to mutter, Jesus, we part here. My country calls for my
body and takes my soul also. Do you see those humans herded and driven against me?
Pitts Theology Library
Emory University
Turn away, Jesus, for I've got to kill them. Why? Oh, well, it's the way of my fathers. And such
evils bring some vast, vague good to my country. I don't know why. But today, my business is
killing. And my gods must be luck and the devil till this thing is over. Leave me now, Lord. Your
eye makes me slack in my duty. My father could mix his prayers with his shooting, and he was a
rare, true man in his generation. Now, I'm fairly decent in mine, I reckon. Yet if I should pray
like him, I'd spoil it by laughing. What is the matter?
And then this by Edna St. Vincent Millay, written when she was a young woman. And as I
understand from an article which I read concerning her many, many months ago, she herself is
alleged to have repented the mood of this poem. Of this fact, I'm not sure, but I state it because I
feel that it should be said. And the poem is called "The Conscientious Objector".
I shall die, but that is all that I shall do for death. I hear him leading his horse out of the stall. I
hear the clatter on the barn floor. He is in haste. He has business in Cuba, business in the
Balkans. Many calls to make this morning, but I will not hold the bridle while he cinches the
girth. And he may mount by himself. I will not give him a leg up.
Though he flicks my shoulders with his whip, I will not tell him which way the fox ran. With his
hoof on my breast, I will not tell him where the black boy hides in the swamp. I shall die, but that
is all that I shall do for death. I am not on his payroll. I will not tell him the whereabouts of my
friends, nor of my enemies either. Though he promise me much, I will not map him the route to
any man's door. Am I a spy in the land of the living that I should deliver men to death?
Brother, the past word, and the plans of our city are safe with me. Never through me shall you be
overcome. I shall die, but that is all that I shall do for death. And finally, this from John Bunyan,
"Mr. Valiant for Truth". After this, it was noised about that Mr. Valiant for Truth was taken with
a summons, and he had this for a token that the summons was true, that his picture was broken at
the fountain.
And then he said, by my sword, I give to him that shall succeed me in my pilgrimage. And my
courage and skill to him that can get them, my marks and scars I carry with me to be a witness
for me that I have fought his battles. Who will be my rewarder? I shall die, but this is all that I
shall do for death. I am not on death's payroll.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, oh, Lord,
my rock and my redeemer.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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We Believe (Television Series, 1958-1965)
Description
An account of the resource
<em>We Believe</em> was a color television program that aired on WHDH-TV, Channel 5, in Boston on weekday mornings at 11:15. From 1958 to 1965, while Howard Thurman was Dean of the Chapel at Boston University, he was the host of the Friday morning show. Each message has a brief introductory section with bells and music before Thurman delivers his short meditation. Some recordings have been edited to remove the intro. In some cases, the Howard Thurman Educational Trust produced tapes with two messages on one recording.<br /><br />"These meditations are no longer than 15 minutes, but highly representative of his style, influence, and search for common ground." - <a href="http://archives.bu.edu/web/howard-thurman">the Howard Thurman and Sue Bailey Thurman Collections at Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center at Boston University.</a><br /><br />
<p style="text-align: right;"><em>We Believe</em> program listing in the TV Guide, March 29, 1958</p>
<img src="http://pittsviva.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/webelieve-whdh-boston.png" style="float: right;" alt="webelieve-whdh-boston.png" />
Contributor
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Descriptions by Dustin Mailman
AudioWithTranscription
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Audio with Transcription
<iframe width="100%" height="820" frameborder="0" src="/files/players/394-811.html" ></iframe>
Original Title
Title as transcribed from tape cassette
Selections for Memorial Day (WB-7B), 1964 May 29
Time Period
The decade in which the recording was produced.
1960s
Location
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WHDH-TV, Boston, Massachusetts
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
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394-811
Creator
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Thurman, Howard
Title
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Selections for Memorial Day (1964-05-29)
Source
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<a href="http://pid.emory.edu/ark:/25593/rp8k9">MSS 394</a>
Format
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audio
Publisher
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<a href="http://pitts.emory.edu/">Pitts Theology Library, Emory University</a>
Date
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1964-05-29
Description
An account of the resource
In this recording within the We Believe Series, Thurman reads three poems written by various authors speaking to subjects of war, conscientious objection, aggression, and violence. Each of these poems are read as a reflection upon the Memorial Day holiday. The first poem, by John Drinkwater, deals with aggression as it is related to war. The second poem, by Badget Clark, deals with a young man's decision to fight in the Civil War. The third, and final poem, by Edna St. Vincent Millay, speaks to conscientious objection while hiding a black child from people of power. Each of these poems emphasize Thurman's commitment to an anti-war ethic, pacifism, and the religion of Jesus.
Contributor
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Description by Dustin Mailman
Abraham Lincoln
aggression
America
anti-violence
anti-war
Badger Clark
citizenship
civil war
consciousness
death
Edna St. Vincent Millay
evil
Herman Hagedorn
holidays
John Drinkwater
poem
prayer
soul
war